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mike
What box?
Joined: 30 Dec 2002
Posts: 3134
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 Posted: 6/22/2006, 9:28 pm Post subject: Legislature OKs bill on rock-climbing attraction |
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| azcentral.com wrote: |
Legislature OKs bill on rock-climbing attraction
Robbie Sherwood
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 21, 2006 12:00 AM
Lawmakers moved one big step closer Tuesday to turning a craggy desert peak named after a Scottish hat into a world-class rock-climbing attraction and Arizona's newest state park.
The Legislature gave an overwhelming final approval Tuesday to Senate Bill 1550, which would create the new state park at Tam O'Shanter Peak near Kearny. But don't pack up that gear and head for the hills just yet.
Although Gov. Janet Napolitano is expected to sign the bill, it's far from a done deal.
Congress must first approve a complex series of federal land swaps with private owners to open a new mining site in Superior as well as to secure the nearly inaccessible peak for the state park.
And then it will take from two to five years to build a road and park facilities.
"If everything pans out, this is a park with unlimited potential," said State Parks Director Ken Travous, who puts Tam O'Shanter's potential as a tourism attraction on a par with the popular Kartchner Caverns.
"The federal legislation has to pass, that's a major hurdle and there is no getting around that," Travous said. "I'm still cautiously optimistic."
The new park came about because British-owned Resolution Copper has plans to build a massive new mine in Superior that would choke off access to another popular rock-climbing area called Oak Flats. Resolution scouted out and discovered Tam O'Shanter's potential as a rock-climbing park to take the place of Oak Flats. Resolution will spend $500,000 to help improve the road to the park.
But the land-swaps must go through first, and there have been recent complications.
In late May, the San Carlos Apache Tribe passed a resolution opposing Southern Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2006 because tribal members use areas being ceded to the mine to gather acorns and other materials used in religious ceremonies.
Members of Arizona's Congressional delegation, including Congressman Rick Renzi, as well as negotiators employed by Resolution Copper, have been working with tribal leaders to find a possible compromise.
"We take the concerns of the San Carlos seriously and we're making every effort to get together in a positive way to address their concerns," said Tom Glass of Western Land Group, a Colorado consulting firm helping Resolution negotiate the land exchanges.
Resolution had also run into resistance from rock climbers, at least at first. But the potential of Tam O'Shanter, which has hundreds of potential rope and boulder climb for any skill level, has won over Rock-climbing groups like the Access Fund. |
http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/0621rockpark0621.html
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cactuscat
Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 459
Location: Phoenix
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| Posted: 6/23/2006, 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Can't freakin' wait!  |
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